Detroit Tigers could move on from Tyler Nevin before long.
The Detroit Tigers purchased Tyler Nevin's contract from the Baltimore Orioles to kick off the New Year. According to FanGraphs depth charts, he was added to the team's 40-man roster and is currently slated to hold down one of the team's bench spots.
Nevin is a 25-year-old who made his debut with the Baltimore Orioles organization. The Detroit Tigers obviously felt they could get something out of Nevin and brought him into the mix as one of the off-season new additions to the team.
While it's early to start talking about the downfall of a player, but Nevin seems like a player who could be one of the first to go from the new additions that the team brought in. Especially with César Hernández joining the mix on his MiLB contract and Spring Training invite.
Nevin plays third and could help fill that void, but with other names likely to outplay him, he could get relegated to the minors or put on waivers. Before the Tigers traded Gregory Soto, there was reason to believe that Nevin would compete for the third base gig.
However, Nick Maton and Matt Vierling are slated to be impactful to the Tigers lineup during the 2023. season. Maton could very well find himself at third base in 2023, but there are a couple of players in the mix, which means less of a chance for Nevin to play a role.
Nevin is coming off the 2022 season, where he accumulated 184 at-bats over 58 games. Slashed an abysmal .197/.299/.261 with 46 punchouts with the Orioles. He mainly played third base but also had appearances at first base and both corner outfield positions.
For the Tigers, keeping space on the roster is a must. Nevin's abysmal stats in 2022 led me to believe that other options within the organization could replace him. For that reason, it feels like he might be the first of the new additions to plunder.
He'll likely make it through Spring Training as he provides some competition and gets a chance to earn himself. Still, without a significant breakthrough in spring ball or something unseen on the stat sheet, there will be better options for the Tigers to consider.
Even though the Tigers purchased his contract and did not give up any players to acquire him, this move could end up being a loss for them if Nevin indeed gets relieved of his duties instead of being replaced by another new addition.